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Deathwalker
Deathwalker is an episode from the first season of Babylon 5, which is collectively entitled Signs and Portents. Na'Toth attacks an alien woman that has just arrived on the station, claiming that she is the Dilgar war criminal Jha'dur — known as Deathwalker. Talia is hired by Kosh to oversee some rather strange negotiations. Cast Starring *Michael O'Hare as Commander Jeffrey Sinclair *Claudia Christian as Lt. Commander Susan Ivanova *Jerry Doyle as Security Chief Michael Garibaldi *Mira Furlan as Delenn Also starring *Richard Biggs as Dr. Stephen Franklin *Andrea Thompson as Talia Winters *Stephen Furst as Vir *Bill Mumy as Lennier *Caitlin Brown as Na'Toth With *Andreas Katsulas as G'Kar *Peter Jurasik as Londo Mollari Guest starring *Sarah Douglas as Jha'dur *Robin Curtis as Ambassador Kalika *Cosie Costa as Abbut *Aki Aleong as Senator Hidoshi Featuring *Ardwight Chamberlain as Kosh (voice) *Robert DiTillio as Ambassador #1 *Sav Farrow as Tech #2 *Mark Hendrickson as Ashok *Marianne Robertson as Tech #1 Cast notes *Regular cast members appearing in this episode are Jeffrey Sinclair, Susan Ivanova, Michael Garibaldi, Stephen Franklin, Talia Winters, Lennier, Na'Toth, G'Kar, and Londo Mollari. *This is Ambassador Kosh's fourth appearance. Summary Introduction In the marketplace, Ambassador Kosh approaches Talia Winters as she is shopping. Kosh requests her services, but he does not provide specific details. Winters is surprised, but she is willing to assist him. Before she can do so, she says that there a number of clearances to be obtained first as well as settling on her fee for services. He interrupts her to state that it has all been arranged, including her fee. He asks her to meet him in Red Sector at "the hour of scampering" and leaves. A Minbari flyer docks at the station. Na'Toth checks on the status of an arriving passenger liner and recognizes an individual checking in through customs. Na'Toth recognizes her as a "deathwalker" and immediately attacks and brutally assaults the individual, shouting "Deathwalker" as security takes her away. Passersby approach the alien, now bleeding and unconscious. Act I Commander Jeffrey Sinclair asks Chief Michael Garibaldi about the victim as they walk together. Garibaldi says her ID gives her name as Gyla Lobos, a freetrader recently arrived from the Minbari Federation (though she is definitely not Minbari). Garibaldi mentions what Na'Toth said during the attack, surprising Sinclair. Both men recognize the epithet. They then interrogate Na'toth, who claims the victim is Jha'Dur, more commonly known as Deathwalker, a notorious mass murderer and diabolical medical researcher who experimented on her grandfather, his family and many others. After he died of it, Na'Toth's family took a blood oath against her. Sinclair is skeptical that the victim can be the same person, as the Dilgar War (where Deathwalker gained her infamy) was over thirty years earlier – the real Deathwalker would have to be an old woman, not the middle aged woman Na'Toth attacked. Nevertheless, Na'Toth insists she made no error. As Garibaldi leaves to gain more information, Ambassador G'Kar arrives then, apologizing for the attack and offering to make reparations to the victim. He also agrees to Sinclair's suggestion of placing Na'Toth under house arrest in G'Kar's quarters pending the outcome of the investigation. Meanwhile, Winters meets Kosh and a strange man named Abbut. Kosh requests Talia scan Abbut, and she is surprised when she can read absolutely no thoughts from the man at all. Pleased, Kosh then begins "negotiations," which consists of a series of idioms and other non sequitor statements from both parties. In Medlab, Sinclair checks on the victim under treatment by Dr. Franklin. He reports that she is healing well – and at a remarkable rate. Sinclair recognizes her species as Dilgar, despite the common belief that the entire Dilgar race was wiped out when their sun went nova at the end of the Dilgar War. This fact, coupled with both archival images as well as a Dilgar uniform Garibaldi finds aboard her ship suggest she is in fact Jha'dur. Garibaldi also recovers an elixir from the ship and hands it to Franklin for study. In G'Kar's quarters, Na'Toth apologizes for embarrassing him, but insists she must fulfill her blood oath. G'Kar dismisses the apology and tells her that she will have to postpone the oath: Jha'dur was coming to the station to meet with their Councilor Ha'rok to discuss a discovery of hers that could greatly benefit the Narn. The attack has caused the Kha'Ri to alter their plans, leaving G'Kar in charge of getting her to Narn (alive) rather than alert Earthforce of their interest. G'Kar promises that Na'Toth will eventually be able to fulfill her vow. Act II Sinclair is contacted by Senator Hidoshi who asks him about the attack on "Lobos." He insists the woman be sent to Earth as soon as she is able to travel. Sinclair informs him about the evidence they've discovered, but Hidoshi is dismissive of the idea that she could be Deathwalker. He cuts off Sinclair's further attempts to protest, saying all the information on the matter is highly classified. The woman finally awakens in Medlab. She angrily retrieves the elixir from Franklin (calling it her "life's work") and demands to meet with Sinclair. The commander heads for Medlab, downplaying rumors about her identity after Ambassador Londo Mollari approaches him. Once in Medlab, Sinclair speaks to the woman privately. She confirms her identity as Jha'dur "Deathwalker," and explains that she has spent the last few years being sheltered by the Wind Swords, a Minbari clan of the Warrior Caste. When he asks how she can be so young and vital, she explains that the elixir is an antiagapic, a serum that halts the aging process and makes the user immune to all diseases. She declares that with the help of the Earth Alliance, she will bring it to all corners of the galaxy. Kosh's negotiations end for the day. Winters is confused about her purpose, as Abbut's mind always remained blank and she could not make sense out of their "negotiations." Kosh responds in his typical cryptic manner and tells her they will resume the following day. Abbut is likewise evasive when she asks him about the dealings. He says he could explain, but it's "not good to reflect too much." Suddenly, Winters has a strange vision, but it only last a moment. Abbut asks her for a drink, but she excuses herself instead. Sinclair tracks down Lennier, as Ambassador Delenn is currently away from the station. Lennier is familiar with the history of Deathwalker. Sinclair explains how she is aboard the station and that she claimed the Wind Swords sheltered her. Lennier responds by saying that even the ultra militaristic Wind Swords would never harbor such a criminal, but he agrees to investigate the matter for Sinclair. G'Kar meets with Jha'Dur privately, apologizing for the attack and offering to purchase the drug she has developed at three times the price Earth is offering. Jha'Dur says she will accept the offer, provided that G'Kar bring her the head of Na'Toth within the hour. This prompts G'Kar to immediately storm out. Sinclair meets with his staff. Garibaldi is skeptical about her claims, but Franklin believes her. So does Earth, announces Sinclair, and explains that she is to be sent there soon. Garibaldi is angry to think that Earth is willing to ignore justice for the sake of "immortality," but Lt. Commander Ivanova says they are better equipped to handle the situation. When they are alone, Garibaldi more directly confronts Sinclair about going along with what Earth is planning. Sinclair believes her discovery is worth at least delaying justice for her crimes. Garibaldi states that if other races find out, they will tear the station to pieces. Act III G'Kar learns that Sinclair plans to move Jha'Dur off the station within the hour and informs Na'Toth in his quarters. She asks to deal with her herself, but he decides to contact one of the League ambassadors, Kalika Qwal'Mizra, to relay that Jha'Dur is aboard. As she prepares to leave, Jha'Dur is approached by Sinclair, who asks why she would be willing to give Earth such a miracle cure when Earth was responsible for turning the tide of the Dilgar's invasion. Jha'Dur explains that her race is gone and both her name and her people's are cursed throughout the galaxy – but her discovery will ensure that this will not remain their legacy. Sinclair, Garibaldi, and a security team then begin escorting her to her ship through Blue Sector, but they are confronted along the way by a coalition of League ambassadors led by Kalika. The ambassadors demand an Assembly to discuss her trial, and insist that Sinclair will have to kill them all before they allow her to be taken off the station. Sinclair relents, agreeing to call an emergency meeting of the Assembly in three hours time. Meanwhile, Winters arrives at the next "negotiation" but asks Kosh to not attend, since he doesn't appear to need a telepath. Kosh insists she fulfill her contract and Abbut arrives. Winters receives another odd vision of exploding electric panels. Before the Assembly meeting, Garibaldi apologizes to Sinclair for losing his temper earlier. He wonders if the Assembly will vote for a trial, since both the Narn and the Centauri Republic collaborated with the Dilgar to various extents during the Dilgar invasion. Sinclair believes that he has enough votes (with his own, the Minbari's, and the League's) to get a trial. Lennier arrives to say he has instructions to vote as Delenn's proxy. Kosh, as usual, declined to show up, still conducting his strange deal with Abbut (and continuing to frustrate Winters). When the vote is called, Mollari and G'Kar both vote "No" on the motion regarding a trial (G'Kar after the League refuses his request to hold the trial on Narn). Sinclair votes "Yes," but then, to the surprise of everyone, Lennier votes "No" as the Minbari were not part of the conflict. The motion thus fails 2-3. The League ambassadors are enraged, and Kalika tells Sinclair sternly he gave them a promise of a voice. Since it is denied them now, she declares the League withdraws from the Assembly altogether and storms out of the chamber, refusing to listen to Sinclair's plea for a compromise. Sinclair confronts Lennier about his vote. Lennier explains that the Wind Swords did indeed shelter Jha'Dur, and that when the Federation discovered this, they took steps to cover it up. The Grey Council could not make the information public during the Earth-Minbari War and is unwilling to suffer the shame of admitting it now. Soon afterward, a Drazi Sun-Hawk arrives at Babylon 5. In C'n'C, Ivanova immediately orders an alert and hears the pilot's demand – that Jha'Dur be extradited or he'll attack. Act IV Ivanova orders the defense grid activated and informs the Drazi he'll be fired upon. Just when she is relieved, the Drazi ship is soon joined by a small task force of League ships, all with similar demands. Sinclair orders Ivanova to stall them as best she can. Sinclair then meets with Ambassador Kalika, again hoping a compromise can be reached by explaining about Jha'Dur's findings. He is successful, and the ships stand down. He then holds another meeting with Kalika and other ambassadors. They are convinced that her elixir has promise and Sinclair promises to share the formula with the League – and still hold Jha'Dur for trial after it is developed. The Ambassadors agree to this compromise. Meanwhile, the situation with Winters reaches a turning point. During the negotiations, Winters is suddenly overwhelmed with a terrifying memory. Kosh announces the deal is complete. Abbut removes his hat, revealing he is a type of cyborg, and hands over a data crystal to Kosh. Winters demands to know what is on the crystal, but Kosh once again brushes off her inquiry and leaves. Once again, Jha'Dur prepares to leave the station. She explains the truth about her formula: a key ingredient cannot be synthesized, but must be taken from a living being. In other words, for one person to live forever, another must die. She predicts this will cause humanity and every other race to "fall on one another like wolves," and the genocide that will result will be the true testament to her work. Her legacy will be to turn those who hate the Dilgar into worse criminals than they were. Sinclair later watches with all the Assembly ambassadors as Jha'Dur boards her ship and heads for the jumpgate. They are all surprised when Kosh enters the room. Just before Jha'dur's flier reaches the gate, a Vorlon ship exits the gate and opens fire, obliterating Deathwalker and her ship. When Sinclair asks Kosh why they did this, the Ambassador simply replies that they "are not ready for immortality." Act V Sinclair and Garibaldi meet in the Zócalo after their shift, reflecting on the recent crisis. Jha'dur was killed for the reason that Sinclair was able to keep her alive. Sinclair asks if the system of "little powers at the mercy of big powers, politics before morality, expediancy before justice" will ever change. They are approached by Winters, who tells them about her deal with Kosh. She explains that during the negotiations, she had memories of a scan she did several years earlier. The scan was of a serial killer just before he was mind wiped and his thoughts were the most terrifying she has ever experienced. When she mentions Abbut, Garibaldi recognizes him as a Vicker, a modified being fitted with cybernetic devices in the brain that allow for recording just about everything, including telepathic communication. He theorizes Kosh used him to record the memories – in case he should ever need to use something against her in the future. Memorable quotes Continuity * Jha'Dur tells Sinclair that the Wind Swords have studied him and that they "say you have a hole in your mind," echoing the words of the Minbari Assassin (words recalled by Sinclair in the previous episode). * Kosh's motives for recording Winters's memories are never fully revealed. Garibaldi will recall the events of this episode when Control is revealed in "Divided Loyalties." * The green-cored Iksha wheel-cruiser is never seen again, even during the Shadow War, nor are the Iksha ever mentioned again. Image Category Category:Images by episode (Deathwalker) DVD release This episode, along with the other episodes from season one, has been released on DVD with extensive special features. External links * Category:Babylon 5 episodes Category:Babylon 5 Season 1 episode